The Saline County journal. [volume] (Salina, Kan.) 1871-1893, 1887-07-28
AN ADVENTUROUS LlFs.
The Story Told BY an aged English Resi-.
dent OF sandersviiie, Ga

The Story Told BY aged English Rest
dent OF sandersviiie, Ca
Among the familiar faces seen upon the
streets OF Sandersvillc, says a letter to
the Atlantic 90 isfi tiiOH Is that - J. T.
Taper In recent interview with the
entertaining old gentleman, who is near
ing three-score few Of the principal
events in has life, dictated with an occa-
sional omission and wrong application Of
his chs" were obtained.
Mr.. Taper is an Englishmau by birth
and g blacksmith BY trade, having been
born under the roof OF a blacksmi 4 shop.
He was the youngest Of three brothers.
When quite young he hired himself oui
| for the sum OF sixpence a week aud
board 10 an aged, childless couple o. do
''Odd Jobs but at the death OF his father
| entered his shop and learned the trade.
An improvidsnt and tyranuical oil Ter
brother who assumed charge 20 the death
Of the father, soon ran the business into
debt very heavily and left Mr.. Upper
while vet a lad Of fifteen then assumed
/ control OF the large establishment, aud
because prevented bv his mother from
closing down upon a farmer who owed a
considerable sum, ami who " las exp cited
to be a bankrupt in a few days he ran
away and joined the Z glish navy. Be
| ing yet under eighteen years OF age, and
| the law requiring applicants 10 be iwea-
/ u. e was a d m rult matter 10 enlist HIS
/ application was Tor position Of n p
| armorer, whose duty Il was 70 keep all
arms in perfect repair. This position re-
/ auired no feeble abb .ity; but, 10y extraor-
/ binary skill for one 50 young, he passed
/ the mechanical examination, aud, by
prevarication as 10 his age, rsferriug the
| oficer, with a gre. deal Of assumed con
/ fidence, TO the register OF his native par
/ ish. which was never examined, he was
accepted.
He Vas first placed on her Maiesty's
| sluOp- Of war Ringdove, carrying lS5 can
non. On this cruise, which extended 10
/ the East Iudies. China, BorneO and many
other lands, be was absent three years
/ and four mOnths Although he had
never before been out Of sight %
the. smoke from his mothers chin
| ney within six months from
sailing he lay In the harbor Of Shanghai
/ 2.G01 miles away On the same voyage,
/ while in the harbor Of NingapO, he shot a
/ Chinaman throug Oh aud through, in obedi-
| ence 10 oficiai orders, which on account
OF the frequency Of theft required that no
i ons should come within the premises after
His second voyage was upon She Ran
ger, which cruised along the northwest
and southwest coast OF Africa, abolishing
| slavery, being gone nearly as long as be
/ fore. While out on this cruise a crew OF
/ Malay pirates numbering thirty, was en-
countered. Not one Of the fighters under
/ the black dag would surrender, and the
entire number suffered death. but not be-
fore the deck Of the English vessel was
reekiug with blood over the shoe-tops-
Taper was next shipped aboard the
Britannia, carrying 10 cannon and crew
Of coo men. This was the Admiral ship
during the Crimean war, and from this
vessel he was transferred 20 she Victory,
j on which Albert, Prince Of Wales. was
then serving as q cadet While on the
! Britannica. although the second youngest
Of his ofsce, he was constit uted senior ar
moror ofthe feet, numbering twenty four,
requiring a master workman.
Next, be was aboard the floating work
shop Vulcan, elegantly fitted up for its
purpose, and having among other things
i've lathes and q steam hammer capable
/ Of driving hve-tou blow, which vessel
was appointed 70 the Mediterranean Sea
/ The last vessel on which he served while
An the Fnglish navy was the Nile. From
l tEis VESSEL y ~ ~ u hl-c--s A1 ~ ~
escape, quitting the service Of "the queen
sinayse'' forever BE had signihed his
intention Of securing higher government
position, and 70 this end had demanded
bis discharge from the naval service; but
the oficsr Of the vessel who was ex-
tremely tyranical, trait which latteriY
caused him bis unsolicited discharge,
forged our hero's name % papers neces'
1 aitafinr tan ranrs more serVice-afteF
having given him many severe eeatings
To prevent him obtaining the bet
tar POSITION. 30, Wills in port a
l Haiifax. Nova Scotia. Taper deter
mined 70 make his escape. This
with the assistance Of confederates, was
accomplished By means Of . shan drown.
ina sGair A bag Was thrown crerocard
sslislRiag nsssEisi Eaioh ns9a a1elell